Bulldozer corner bit



Sept. 9, 1969 v LUTZ 3465,833

BULLDOZER CORNER BIT Filed May 17, 1966 INVENTOR. KENNETH V. LUTZ BY W.

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,465,833 BULLDOZER CORNER BIT KennethV. Lutz 10081 Carmen Road, Cupertino, Calif. 95014 Filed May 17, 1966,Sex. N0. 550,726 Int. C1. Alb 35/20, 39/20; E02f 3/76 U.S. C]. 172719 3Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates tobulldozers, and to the cutting edges which are conventionally presentthereon. More particularly, the inventiou relates t0 a bit assemblyhaving a replaceable bit for providing a corner cutting edge for abulldozer blade.

Bulldozers of the type known in the prior art have C115- tomarily beenequipped With two replaceable corner outting edges, each mountedadjacent one of the opposite side Walls of the usual bulldozer blade.Such replaceable corne1' cutting edges have been necessitated by theunusual amount of wear which takes place at the blade corners.

The replaceable cutting edges, or bits, have often presented seriousdisadvantages with respect to their manufacture, installation andoperation. Such known bits have often been of complex structure, beingcostly and diflicult to manufacture. The known bits, furthermore, haveoften been limited to use on only a particular size and/or shape ofbulldozer blade. As a further disadvantage, the known bits have, in manycases, required expensive labor operations for the assembly and mountingthereof. In their operation, the known bits have often requiredextensive maintenance, or have failed to operate adequately under thesevere pressure conditions encountered.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved comer bit for a bulldozer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a corner bit ofsimplified structure, and which is comparatively easy and inexpensive tomanufacture.

Still another object of the present invention is to pro vide a cornerbit which may be assembled and mounted in operative position withcomparative ease.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a corner bitwhich has a comparatively long useful life and requires a minirnum ofmaintenance.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a cornerbit adaptable for use with various designs 0f bulldozer blades.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent to one skilled in the art from the following descriptiontaken in conjunction With the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the forward end of a bulldozer With abit assembly embodying the present invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the bit assembly of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the lines 33 ofFIG. 2.

lce

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the bit and adapter of FIGS. 1-3,being shown in position for assembly thereof.

lllustrated in FIG. 1 is a bulldozer 10 having mounted thereon a cornerbit assembly 12 of the present invention. The bulldozer 10 is ofwell-known type, being mounted on a tractor 14, and being provided Witha blade 16 having a cutting edge 18.

The blade 16 is forrned with two opposite corners 20 of identicalconstruction. Only one 0f the corners 20, and the structure asso-ciatedtherewith, is shown and will be described. The corner 20 is located atthe intersection of the side Wall 22 and the front wall 24 of the blade16. The cutting edge 18 terminates at a side edge 25 thereof, which isspaced from the side Wall 22.

The bit assembly 12 includes a bit 26 and an adapter 28. The bit 26 isconstructed of two legs 30 and 32 which are integral, and together forma generally L-shaped configuration (See also FIG. 2). The leg 30 iscomparatively short, and provides an upright side edge 34 for the bit26. The leg 32 is comparatively long, and provides a lower cutting edge36 for the bit 26.

The legs 30 and 32 are formed With flat inner edge surfaces 38 and 40(see also FIGS. 3 and 4), which are located opposite the outer edges 34,36, respectively. The inner edge surface 38 extends angularly withrespect to the side edge 34. The inner edge surface 40 extends generallyparallel to the cutting edge 36.

Projecting perpendicularly from the inner edge surfaces 38 and 40 aretwo leg attachtnent sections in the form of two flanges 42 and 44,respectively. The flange 42 extends the full length of the inner edgesurface 38. The flange 44 is of generally L-shaped configuration. Thus,the flange 44 provides a portion 46 which extends the length of theinner edge surface 40, and an end portion 48 which extends angularlywith respect to the portion 46. As best seen in FIG. 3, each of theflanges 42 and 44 lies at the center of the respective leg inner edgesurface 38 or 40.

Projecting upvvardly from the front surface 50 of the bit 26 are twospacedapart and parallel-extending locking elements 52 and 54. T helocking elements 52 and 54 are formed of two shanks 56 and 58, which attheir upper ends 60 and 62, terminate in two rounded heads 64 und 66,respectively. Bach of the heads 64 and 66 lies above the flange portion46 and is provided with a central aperture 68 extending therethrough.

The bit 26 is mounted on the blade 16 by means of the adapter 28. Theadapter 28 is formed of a generally flat plate 70 of comparatively greatthickness. The plate 70, at its lower left-hand corner 72, is formedWith a recess 74, which is of the same shape as the angular fiangeportion 48 of the bit 26.

Projecting from the right side edge 76 of the plate 70, and at the platefront surface 78, is a plate extension flange 80, which extends the fulllength of the edge 76. Projecting from the lower edge 82 of the plate70, and at the corner 72 is a plate extension flange 84, which iscoplanar with the flange 80 and forms a square corner 86. Alsoprojecting from the lower edge 82 is a plate extension flange 88, whichis located intermediate the flanges 80 and 84, and is coplanartherewith.

Intermediate the flange 80 and the flange 88, the plate 70, at the frontsurface 78 thereof, is formed With a depression of generally invertedU-shaped configuration. A similar depression 92 is forrned intermediatethe flanges 84 and 88. The depressions 90 and 92 have the same Iadii ofcurvature as the locking heads 64 and 66 of the bit 26. An aperture 94,extending through the plate 70, is provided at the center of each of thedepressions 90 and 92.

Bach of the flanges 80, 84 and 88 is approximately one-half thethickness of the plate 70. The flange 80 is of generally the same sizeand shape as the flange 42 of the bit 26. The flange 86 is of generallythe san1e shape and size as the flange portion 48 taken together with anadjacent part of the flange portion 46. The flange 88 is of the sameWidth as the flange portion 46.

The plate 70 is formed With five additional apertures 96 extendingtherethrough. The front Wall 24 of the blade 16 is formed, adjacent theside Wall 22, with seven apertures 98 (two being seen), which correspondin size and positioning to the apertures 94 and 96, respectively. Theplate 70 is mounted on the blade 16 by means of suitable bolts 100,which pass through *the apertures 96, and the respectively correspondingapertures 98.

When the plate 70 is in mounted position, the extension flanges 80, 84and 88 each lie in spaced parallel relationship to the blade front wall24. Three seats 102, 104 and 106 are thus provided, each being definedby the wall 24; one of the plate edges 76, 82; and one of the extensionflanges 80, 84, 88. The plate 70 and the extension flange 84 then abutthe side edge 25 of the cutting edge 18.

In order to mount the bit assembly 12 in the position of FIGS. 13 theadapter 28 is at first secured to the front Wall 24 by the bolts 100passing through the apertures 96, and through the correspondingapertures 98. The bit 26 is then placed in a position in which theflange 42 and the flange portions 46 and 48 lie Within the seats 102,104 and 106, respectively. At the same tirne, the locking heads 64 and66 are inserted Within the depressions 90 and 92, respectively. A bolt100 is then inserted through each of the apertures 68, and thecorresponding apertures 94 and 98, for securing the bit 26 to theadapter 28, and to the blade 24. The flanges 42 and 44 will then abut-the edges 76 and 82 of the plate 70, respectively. The cutting edge 36of the bit 26 will then provide a continuation of the cutting edge 18,extending frorn the side edge 25 of the latter, to the blade side Wall22.

When the bulldozer 10 is employed in custornary manner for earth-removalpurposes, the bit 26, at the cutting edge 36 thereof, cuts into theearth in conjunction with the cutting edge 18 of the blade 16.

The bit 26 may be readily and easily replaced after a =period of wear.In order to efi"ect a replacement, the two bolts 100 associated With thelocking heads 64 and 66 are remove from the respective apertures 68, 94and 98. The bit 26 may then be manually slipped out of seated position.The replacement bit (not shown) may then be assembled With the adapter28 in the manner already described. Generally, a greater number of boltsare required.

Thus, not only has the number of bolts been reduced,

but also the replacement time.

The bit assembly 12 olfers a number of special advantages With respectto its manufacture, instalhtion and use. As one advantage, the bitassembly 12 is unusually economical to manufacture. Another reason forthe economy is the simplicity of structure of the parts, andparticularly of the bit 26.

Another reason for economy is that the adapter 28 can, at the plate 70,be manufactured in various sizes and shapes so as to fit any make orsize of bulldozer 10. At the same time, the seats 102, 104 and 106, andthe depressions 90 and 92 can be of a single standard size and shape sothat one size and shape of bit 26 will fit all of the adapters 28.

The manner of assembling and installing the bit assemb ly 12 and themanner of replacing the bit 26 have already been described. Thesimplicity of the operations here employed results in substantialsavings With respect to the labor which might otherwise be necessary.Thus, in the assernbling of the bit 26 and adapter 28, only two bolts100 are required.

A savings is similarly realized in the case of the replacement of thebit 26. The adapter 28 may rernain in operative position mounted on thewall 24. Only the bit 26 need be changed.

In operation, the bit assembly 12 offers advantages of unusualsturdiness and long life. The construction is such that the pressuresencountered during operation tend to maintain each of the flanges 42 and44 in position within the respective-associated seat 102, 104 or 106.Such pressures sirnilarly tend to maintain the locking heads 64 and 66tightly in place Within the depressions and 92, respectively. Only twobolts need be employed to provide co-mplete protection against possibledislocation as between the bit 26 and the adapter 28.

The assembly 12 also otfers advantages with respect to the minimumdegree of maintenance required for efficient operation thereof. Theseadvantages stem, in large part, from the relative simplicity ofstructure of the elements providing the interlocking of the bit 26 Withthe adapter 28.

lt is to be understood that modifications and variations of theembodirnent of the invention disclosed herein may be resorted to withoutdeparting frorn the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A bit assembly for the corner of a bulldozer blade, said assemblycomprising:

(a) a bit constructed of a plurality of legs forming an upright sideedge and a lower cutting edge, each of said legs being formed With aseating section located opposite the respective leg edge;

(b) an adapter mountable on said bulldozer blade, said adapter beingcooperative With said blade to provide a seat for each of said seatingsections; and

(c) means locking said bit to said adapter with said seating sections inseated position, said locking means restricting relative movementbetween said bit and said adapter;

(d) the seating section located opposite said lower cutting edge is ofgenerally L-shaped configuration, and extends in part parallel to saidcutting edge, and in part angularly with respect to said lower cuttingedge.

2. A bit assernbly for the corner of a bulldozer blade, said assernblycomprising:

(a) a bit constructed of a plurality of legs forming an upright sideedge and a lower cutting edge, each of said legs being formed with aseating section located opposite the respective leg edge;

(b) an adapter mountable on said bulldozer blade, said adapter beingcooperative with said blade to provide a seat for each of said seatingsections; and

(c) means locking said bit to said adapter with said seating sections inseated position, said locking means restricting relative movementbetween said bit and said adapter,

(d) at least one locking head mounted on said bit, said adapter beingconstructed to engage each locking head, means being provided forsecuring each locking head to said adapter,

(e) a holt for securing each locking head to said adapter.

3. A bit assembly for the corner of a bulldozer blade,

said assembly cornprising:

(a) a bit constructed of a plurality of legs forming an upright sideedge and a lower cutting edge, each of said legs being formed with aseating section located opposite tbe respective leg edge;

(b) an adapter mountable on said bulldozer blade, said adapter beingcooperative with said blade to provide a seat for each of said seatingsections; and

(c) means locking said bit to said adapter with said seating sections inseated position, said locking means restricting relative movementbetween said bit and said adapter,

(d) at least one locl ing head mounted on said bit, said adapter beingconstructed to engage each locking head, means being provided forsccuring each locking head to said adapter,

(e) each locking head being of rounded configuration, said adapter beingprovided with a depression of generally inverted U-shaped configurationfor engaging each locking head.

Refereuces Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Bo1kcom 17275 3 Thompson 172753Lillengreen 37141 X Gilbertson 37-141 Wood 172-753 U.S. C1. X.R.

